It has been observed that the arrangement and placement of products in a retail setting can have a significant impact on the sales of such products. Accordingly, a common practice in many retail industries entails manufacturers/distributors and retailers agreeing to terms whereby certain products will be arranged/presented in a retail context (such as on a shelf or shelves) in a specified manner. For example, a product manufacturer may want certain products arranged together (e.g., variants of a specific product line), or on a certain shelf (e.g., at eye-level, at the end of an aisle, etc.), and/or in proximity to/distance from other products (e.g., a specified distance from a competing product).
While such agreements are common, compliance tracking/enforcement of such terms has traditionally been costly/difficult. Product manufacturers/distributors can send individuals to retail locations to track product placement, however such initiatives are generally costly and can outweigh any potential benefit if conducted regularly. Additionally, self-reporting initiatives present an inherent conflict of interest on the part of the retailer, and are thus also ineffective.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.